Open toe shoe cap construction



' April 22, 1947.

o. CHERTOK 2,419,390-

OPEN TOE S HOE CAP CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7, 1946 @ZMJZJWA Patented Apr. 22, 1947 OPEN TOE SHOE CAP CONSTRUCTION Oscar Chertok; Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 7, 1946, Serial No. 646,132

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the foot- Wear art, and more particularly to tip or open portion shoe structures.

So called open toe shoe constructions are Well known in the art and are worn principally because the shoe has the weight thereof reduced, is cooler, produces an enhanced appearance from a style point of view.

These shoe constructions having open toe portions, are subject to the objection, however, that with changed weather conditions such as cold, rain, snow or slush they are no longer comfortable or suitable.

Among the objects of the present invention lies the provision of shoe tip protector constructions which are adapted to temporarily close the opening in the open toe and which are relatively inconspicuous when worn and which add to rather than detract from the appearance and style qualities of the shoes with Which they are associated.

Another object herein lies in the provision of shoe tip protecting structure adapted to close the opening in an open toe shoe, said structure being light in weight yet of high strength so that notonly does the shoe with the present cap on it present a neat and desirable appearance, but the shoe remains comfortable and is not made clumsy by unnecessary weight.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that so called dress shoes may be readily converted to use for somewhat hazardous labor as the present cap affords protection to the wearers toes against objects accidentally dropped thereon.

A further object herein lies in the provision of detachable shoe cap structures which are readily detachably engageably with open toe shoe tips requiring no special tools or skill for this purpose.

In accordance with th present novel construction, the shoe cap when in place does not damage the shoe in any conspicuous or vital portions thereof.

A feature of the present invention lies in the fact that when the shoe cap is in place upon the open toe of a shoe, the cap is securely held thereat against movement in many directions so that accidental displacement thereof is extremely remote.

The present shoe cap constructions are relatively compact and a pair of them may be nested one within the other so that 'they may be compactly stowed in the wearers pocket or purse.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the present cap construction may be manufactured in a limitednumber of sizes to fita g eater range of shoe sizes having variously shaped shoe tip openings.

Another object herein lies in the provision of open toe shoe caps which are readily fabricated in large quantities at low cost so that they may have a consequent wide use and distribution.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing an embodiment of the invention in place upon an open toed shoe.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the toe capping element.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a rear end elevational view'of Figure 3, as seen from the left thereof.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical view of the forward portion of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional view corresponding generally to Figure 5 but showing a second embodiment of the invention. The section is taken on a vertical plane slightly forward of the rear edge of the device.

Turning now to the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the shoe cap is generally indicated by reference character 10.

The device I0 is of irregular configuration and the shape thereof is best seen in the several figures of the drawing. The device l0 includes broadly, the shoe tip covering portion or toe capping element H, a lower vamp clamping element l2, an upper vamp clamping element [4 and a sole top engaging flange IS. The toe capping element is preferably composed of resilient material such as spring steel, spring brass, or molded plastic such as cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate or the like. When made from sheet metal the element l I may be manufactured in one piece by suitable blanking and forming operations. When composed of plastic, the element H may be fabricated by injectionmolding or may be blanked and formed by heat and pressure from sheet stock.

The shoe 59 is shown in the drawings merely by way of example and may include the vamp 5|, the toe or tip 52, the latter being provided with a toe opening 53. Thus the vamp 5| has an upper edge portion 54 and a lower edge portion 5.5. The toe capping element is generally of convex shape, but the configuration thereof is primarily determined by the external configuration of the toe or tip 52 of the shoe. Since shoes of the open toe type are frequently so constructed that the wearers toes project through the opening in the toe of the shoe, my toe capping element projects forwardly. and upwardly to provide the dome portion 4|. The upper rear edge is of the element Il may extend rearwardly on the shoe vamp any suitable distance, and the rearward extension of said edge, beyond the edge 55 of the opening '53 is determined by the amount of the front upper portion or vamp 5! which it is desired to enclose.

At the lower edge 'the material of the element ll is inwardly bent at substantially a right angle to form the sole top engaging flange l3 which is adapted, when the device 10 is in operative position to lie between the upper surface 56 of the sole 5'? and the lower portion 58 of the shoe upper 53. The flange l3 may thus be frictionally anchored between the upper surface of the sole and the portion of the shoe upper which acutely converges toward the upper surface of the sole in making connection therewith in a usual manner. The inner peripheral edge 23 of the flange i3 is provided at opposed portions adjacent the rear edges thereof with oppositely disposed prongs 27 and 28 which may penetrate the shoe upper and shoe sole juncture to positively anchor the element ll thereat.

The lower vamp clamping element generally .indicated by numeral [2 includes a top member 29 and a bottom member 30. The top member '29 is preferably an extension of the upper portion of the element ll, so that said member is integral therewith. The member 29 on the upper surface of the rear terminal 3| thereof is provided with one member 32 of a pair of detachably connectable members, the other one 33 of which is secured to the lower terminal 34 of the upper vamp clamping element l4 (see Figure 6). female member so that when the element H is utilized alone, the member 32 presents a relatively smooth surface. The bottom member is preferably composed of resilient material such as phosphor bronze or spring steel and is secured at the forward end 35 to the lower surface 36 of the toe capping element H. The member 30 may be held in place and prevented from rotating by a plurality of rivets 31 which project downwardly from the under surface 33. Where the element H is composed of metal the member 38 may be spot welded in place. When the element It and the member 30 are composed of plastic material these parts may be integrated by cementing or other connecting means (not shown). The terminal 3| extends rearwardly a greater distance than the terminal 38 of the member 30 so as to facilitate the engagement of the lower vamp clamping element I2 with the edge 55.

The upper vamp clamping element 14 includes an elongated elastic member 39 to the lower end 34 of which the member 33 is attached, as previously described. The upper end 40 of the elastic member 39 has secured thereto an upper vamp edge attaching element 5.2. The element 42 is of substantially U-shape having an outer leg 43, a bent portion M and an inner leg 45. The outer leg 43 is connected to the end 40 of the member 39 while the leg 45 on the upper or outer surface thereof (as viewed in Figure 6) is provided with It is preferable that the member 32 be the a plurality of sharp projections 45 which ar adapted to partially penetrate the upper edge portion 55 of the vamp.

In installing the device 10 upon the shoe 50 the terminal Si is placed upon the vamp of the shoe directly rearwardly of the edge 55 at the uppermost position thereof. Slight downward pressure on the element Ii causes the member 29 to rise slightly so that the terminal 38 and the member 33 may pass beneath the edge 55.

In use, the device it is selected so that in the normal position of the element II it is of slightly less width than the efiective width thereat of the tip 52 of the shoe 53. The element II is moved rearwardly upon the shoe 50 with the opposed lateral inner portions of the flange 26 in engagement with the groove in the shoe formed between the upper surface 55 of the sole and the lower portion 58 directly thereabove, of the upper.

When the element H is fully seated the portions :3! and as may be subjected to inward manual pressure so as to engage the prongs 21 and 28.

In the case of some of the various types of shoe constructions with which the present device is useful, the engagement of the prongs 2! and 28 with the adjoining shoe portions, and the frictional engagement of the edge 55 and the portions of the vamp directly rearwardly thereof between the members 23 and 30 may be sufficient to adequately secure the element H in connection with the shoe 53.

On other types of shoes the upper vamp clamping element may be used. This is accomplished by engaging the member 33 with the member 32, temporarily stretching the member 35 and engaging the element 42 about the edge 54. The element e2 may be composed of a relatively soft metal so that by squeezing the legs 43 and 45 toward each other the projections 46 may become anchored upon the inner surface of the edge portion 54 of the shoe 53. The element 42 may be composed of resilient material in which case a spring claw action may be obtained. Since the length of the member 33 is substantially greater than the normal distance between the terminal 3! and the edge 54, said memberexerts a constant pull keeping the element H in place.

Secured about the element 39 is a decorative element 65 which make take the form of a bow as shown. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates the element 65 may be in the form of a bow or any other decorative object used to decorate the Vamps of shoes, as for example, buckles, pompoms or the like. The bow has been made especially small in Figure 1 so as not to obscure the underlying parts for the purpose of clarity in this disclosure. In actual use, however, said bow may be substantially enlarged in size so as to obscure so much of the present device as is desired by the user. For example, by the use of a large pompom the member 29, the member 32 and the member 39 may be completely hidden from View.

Turning noW to the second embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 7 for the purpose of avoiding needless repetition of the parts correspo di g to the first embodiment of the invention are giVen the same reference characters with the addition of the prefix 1. As will be seen from a perusal of Figure '7 the second embodiment differs from the first principall in the inclusion of the spring element I09, the lower ends of which extend toward each other to form the attached prongs l2! and I28. This form of the invention is particularly useful when the element I I is composed of a plastic or other material which lacks the desired stiffness and resiliency. Ihe spring element may be in the form of wire or a band and may be imbedded in the material of the element H or may be secured to the inner surface thereof.

It may thus be seen that I have disclosed a novel and useful constructiotn of shoe caps for use with open toed shoes. The device is readily attached when the need for its use arises and may be quickly and easily removed when the need passes by a reversal of the installing operations previously described. Certain flexibility of operation is provided since the upper vamp clamping element is detachably engageable with respect to the lower vamp clamping element Whereby the present devices may be utilized with shoes having varying characteristics.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

While I have disclosed a shoe construction having a laterally continuous vamp, it will be understood that where the vamp is provided with means for opening and closing the same that the element d2 may engage such means, as for example, shoe tongue or top transverse lacing, or the like (not shown) I claim:

1. For use with a shoe having an open toe and a vamp with a lower edge at the margin of said open toe, a cap comprising: a toe capping element of a size sufficient to cover said opening, and having an upper rear edge; and an upper vamp clamping element including a top member connected to said toe capping element, and a bottom member connected to said toe capping element at the under surface of the capping element and adapted to penetrate said opening and to clamp the lower vamp edge against the under surface of the top member.

2. For use with a shoe having an open toe and a vamp with a lower edge at the margin of said open toe, a cap comprising: a toe capping element of a size sumcient to cover said opening, and having an upper rear edge; and an upper vamp clamping element including a top member connected to said toe capping element, and a bottom member connected to said toe capping element at the under surface of the capping element at a point spaced a substantial distance from the said edge of the toe capping element,

said bottom member being adapted to penetrate said opening and to clamp the loWer vamp edge against the under surface of the top member.

3. For use with a shoe having an open toe and a vamp with a lower edge at the margin of said open tee, a cap comprising: a toe capping element of a size sufiicient to cover said opening, and having an upper rear edge; and an upper vamp clamping element including a top member connected to said toe capping element, and a prising: a toe capping element of a size sufficient to cover said opening, and having an upper rear edge, and an inwardly directed flange at the loWer portion thereof; an upper vamp clamping element including a top member connected to said toe capping element, and a bottom member connected to said toe capping element and adapted to penetrate said opening and to clamp the lower vamp edge against the under surface of the top member; and opposed portions of said flange being frictionally engageable between the .upper edge surface of said sole and the lower portions or the vamp and tip thereabove.

5. For use with a shoe including a toe having an opening vamp with a lower edge at the margin of said opening, and a sole, a shoe cap comprising: a toe capping element of a size sufficient to cover said opening, and having an upper rear edge, and an inwardly directed flange at the lower portion thereof, said flange having prongs inwardly and oppositely projecting from said flange at the rear portions thereof; an upper vamp clamping element including a' top member connected to said toe capping element, and a bottom member connected to said toe capping element and adapted to penetrate said opening and to clamp the lower vamp edge against the under surface of the top member; and opposed portions of said flange and said prongs being frictionally engageable between the upper edge surface of said sole and the lower portions of the vamp and tip thereabove.

6. For use with a shoe including a toe having an opening vamp with a lower edge at the margin of said opening, and a sole, a shoe cap comprising: a toe capping element of a size sufficient to cover said opening, and having an upper rear edge, and an inwardly directed flange at the lower portion thereof; a spring element associated with the rear portion of the toe capping element, said spring element acting to urge said toe capping element so as to decrease the effective size thereof; an upper vamp clamping element including a top member connected to said toe capping elemen-t, and a bottom member connected to said toe capping element and adapted to penetrate said opening and to clamp the lower vamp edge against the under surface of the top member; and opposed portions of said flange being frictionally engageable between the upper ed e surface of said sole and the lower portions of the vamp and tip thereabove.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 in which the ends of the spring member project toward each "other to form prongs for engagement between the upper edge of the sole and the lower portions of the vamp and tip thereabove.

8. For use with a shoe including a vamp having a toe opening and upper and lower vamp edges, shoe cap construction comprising: a toe capping element of a size sufficient to cover said opening, and having an upper rear edge; an upper vamp clamping element including an elastic member and an edge attaching element connected to the upper end of the elastic member; and means to detachably connect the lower end of the elastic member to the upper edge of the toe capping element.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 in which there is an elongated extension projecting rearwardly from the toe capping element and to the rear end of which the elastic member is detach- Zably connectable.

OSCAR CHERTOK. 

